Yojana Magazine August 2024 - 3 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


47 August 2024
ndia, the land of storytelling, has always 
had numerous art forms to narrate 
stories. c inema is a relatively newer yet 
one of the most popular art forms—for 
entertainment, education, employment, and as a 
means of enlightenment for many. 
indian cinema has been around for more 
than 100 years now and has played a significant 
role during the freedom struggle, serving as a 
powerful medium to evoke public sentiment, 
foster nationalistic feelings, and challenge 
colonial rule. 
in its initial stages, it portrayed themes 
of patriotism, valour and defiance against 
oppression. Films like Dadasaheb Phalke’s ‘raja 
Harishchandra’ (1913), Kanjibhai r athod’s ‘Bhakta 
vidhur’ (1921) and H M r eddy’s ‘Bhakta Prahlada’ 
(1931) depicted moral courage and righteousness, 
resonating with the indian nationalist Movement. 
it provided a platform for political discourse as 
actors and filmmakers actively participated in 
nationalist movements and used their influence 
to support causes like the Quit india Movement 
of 1942, amplifying the voices of freedom fighters. 
composers like Pandit ravi shankar and salil 
chowdhury infused nationalist fervour into their 
compositions, creating melodies that resonated 
deeply with the aspirations of a free india.
cinema played a significant role in the 
freedom movement in india, and Maharashtra in 
particular, since film industry initially flourished 
in Mumbai. Marathi cinema actively propagated 
nationalistic values and ideals through its films. 
Directors like vishnupant Damle, v shantaram, 
Bhalji Pendharkar, etc. used their films to depict 
the struggles and aspirations of the common 
people, aligning their narratives with the broader 
goals of the freedom movement. 
Films such as ‘s ant t ukaram’ (1936) and ‘Duniya 
na Mane’ (1937) celebrated Maharashtra’s cultural 
heritage while advocating for social justice and 
independence. Films portrayed historical figures 
like shivaji Maharaj, rani Lakshmibai, etc. as 
symbols of resistance, inspiring generations to 
fight for independence. Films like ‘Mahatma Phule’ 
(1954) and ‘ramshastri’ (1944) celebrated local 
heroes and cultural icons, reinforcing pride in 
Maharashtra’s history and traditions amidst the 
struggle for freedom.
thus, indian cinema during the freedom 
struggle was not just a form of entertainment but 
a potent instrument of social change and political 
awakening. it played a crucial role in shaping 
public opinion, nurturing a spirit of resistance, and 
ultimately contributing to the journey towards 
india’s independence in 1947.                                     ?
anuJa avinash chaulKar the author is working with the National Museum of indian Cinema in Mumbai as a Museum researcher and educator. 
Celluloid Patriotism
I
Page 2


47 August 2024
ndia, the land of storytelling, has always 
had numerous art forms to narrate 
stories. c inema is a relatively newer yet 
one of the most popular art forms—for 
entertainment, education, employment, and as a 
means of enlightenment for many. 
indian cinema has been around for more 
than 100 years now and has played a significant 
role during the freedom struggle, serving as a 
powerful medium to evoke public sentiment, 
foster nationalistic feelings, and challenge 
colonial rule. 
in its initial stages, it portrayed themes 
of patriotism, valour and defiance against 
oppression. Films like Dadasaheb Phalke’s ‘raja 
Harishchandra’ (1913), Kanjibhai r athod’s ‘Bhakta 
vidhur’ (1921) and H M r eddy’s ‘Bhakta Prahlada’ 
(1931) depicted moral courage and righteousness, 
resonating with the indian nationalist Movement. 
it provided a platform for political discourse as 
actors and filmmakers actively participated in 
nationalist movements and used their influence 
to support causes like the Quit india Movement 
of 1942, amplifying the voices of freedom fighters. 
composers like Pandit ravi shankar and salil 
chowdhury infused nationalist fervour into their 
compositions, creating melodies that resonated 
deeply with the aspirations of a free india.
cinema played a significant role in the 
freedom movement in india, and Maharashtra in 
particular, since film industry initially flourished 
in Mumbai. Marathi cinema actively propagated 
nationalistic values and ideals through its films. 
Directors like vishnupant Damle, v shantaram, 
Bhalji Pendharkar, etc. used their films to depict 
the struggles and aspirations of the common 
people, aligning their narratives with the broader 
goals of the freedom movement. 
Films such as ‘s ant t ukaram’ (1936) and ‘Duniya 
na Mane’ (1937) celebrated Maharashtra’s cultural 
heritage while advocating for social justice and 
independence. Films portrayed historical figures 
like shivaji Maharaj, rani Lakshmibai, etc. as 
symbols of resistance, inspiring generations to 
fight for independence. Films like ‘Mahatma Phule’ 
(1954) and ‘ramshastri’ (1944) celebrated local 
heroes and cultural icons, reinforcing pride in 
Maharashtra’s history and traditions amidst the 
struggle for freedom.
thus, indian cinema during the freedom 
struggle was not just a form of entertainment but 
a potent instrument of social change and political 
awakening. it played a crucial role in shaping 
public opinion, nurturing a spirit of resistance, and 
ultimately contributing to the journey towards 
india’s independence in 1947.                                     ?
anuJa avinash chaulKar the author is working with the National Museum of indian Cinema in Mumbai as a Museum researcher and educator. 
Celluloid Patriotism
I
49 August 2024
he indian independence Movement 
was not a singular, unidirectional, and 
homogenous social movement, as it is 
assumed very often by laypeople and 
scholars alike. the movement contained within it 
a large number of streams, some purely cultural 
practices, some expressions of the culture of the 
country like language and literature. each stream 
brought with it a number of sub-streams. 
o ver and above, the entire movement, with its 
complexities and layers of expressions of cultural 
structures, took the  then British rulers by surprise 
even though they were well aware that india is 
a land of hundreds of cultural traditions. When 
the expressions took centre stage, all with the 
single focus of evicting the oppressors from the 
land, the British r aj did not know which direction 
they had to look in and were left confused and 
clueless. 
the primary direction in which all the indian 
languages contributed in this regard was in 
increasing nationalistic fervour among the masses 
and bringing unity to the various communities of 
india. At the time of the independence movement, 
india was divided into a number of kingdoms and 
The role of literature in social movements is often understated and, at times, 
even discounted. When one goes through the annals of history, one can 
easily find many instances when literary creations, oral or written, played a 
significant role in social movements. Caught off guard and unnerved by the 
literary onslaught in all the languages and across the country, the British 
started banning books that had even the slightest nationalistic or patriotic 
fervour. Together, as the idea to gain freedom with urgency swept through large 
parts of India, people started to trace their cultural roots and take pride in 
their country and its rich and ancient cultural heritage once again.
communities. While people had identity towards 
the nation through cultural commonalities, they 
fundamentally had allegiance more towards their 
own communities first and then to the nation. 
Poems and songs played a significant role in 
this. one has to remember that in the period leading 
up to eventual independence in August 1947, the 
majority of the masses were pretty much illiterate. 
Due to their universal appeal and the fact that 
one need not be educated to understand, feel, and 
appreciate them, poetry easily reached the masses, 
sometimes as songs set to tune and the fire of 
nationalism spread faster than fire. 
All of them had one goal—to evict the 
oppressors from the land and free india from the 
clutches of the British. not only eminent poets, 
but songs by unknown writers and local ballads 
contributed to the awakening. 
the role of literature in social movements is 
often understated and, at times, even discounted. 
When one goes through the annals of history, 
one can easily find many instances when literary 
creations, oral or written, played a significant role in 
social movements.
T
K sreenivasarao the author is the Secretary of Sahitya Akademi. email: secretary@sahitya-akademi.gov.in
Contribution of Indian Languages 
to the Freedom Movement
Page 3


47 August 2024
ndia, the land of storytelling, has always 
had numerous art forms to narrate 
stories. c inema is a relatively newer yet 
one of the most popular art forms—for 
entertainment, education, employment, and as a 
means of enlightenment for many. 
indian cinema has been around for more 
than 100 years now and has played a significant 
role during the freedom struggle, serving as a 
powerful medium to evoke public sentiment, 
foster nationalistic feelings, and challenge 
colonial rule. 
in its initial stages, it portrayed themes 
of patriotism, valour and defiance against 
oppression. Films like Dadasaheb Phalke’s ‘raja 
Harishchandra’ (1913), Kanjibhai r athod’s ‘Bhakta 
vidhur’ (1921) and H M r eddy’s ‘Bhakta Prahlada’ 
(1931) depicted moral courage and righteousness, 
resonating with the indian nationalist Movement. 
it provided a platform for political discourse as 
actors and filmmakers actively participated in 
nationalist movements and used their influence 
to support causes like the Quit india Movement 
of 1942, amplifying the voices of freedom fighters. 
composers like Pandit ravi shankar and salil 
chowdhury infused nationalist fervour into their 
compositions, creating melodies that resonated 
deeply with the aspirations of a free india.
cinema played a significant role in the 
freedom movement in india, and Maharashtra in 
particular, since film industry initially flourished 
in Mumbai. Marathi cinema actively propagated 
nationalistic values and ideals through its films. 
Directors like vishnupant Damle, v shantaram, 
Bhalji Pendharkar, etc. used their films to depict 
the struggles and aspirations of the common 
people, aligning their narratives with the broader 
goals of the freedom movement. 
Films such as ‘s ant t ukaram’ (1936) and ‘Duniya 
na Mane’ (1937) celebrated Maharashtra’s cultural 
heritage while advocating for social justice and 
independence. Films portrayed historical figures 
like shivaji Maharaj, rani Lakshmibai, etc. as 
symbols of resistance, inspiring generations to 
fight for independence. Films like ‘Mahatma Phule’ 
(1954) and ‘ramshastri’ (1944) celebrated local 
heroes and cultural icons, reinforcing pride in 
Maharashtra’s history and traditions amidst the 
struggle for freedom.
thus, indian cinema during the freedom 
struggle was not just a form of entertainment but 
a potent instrument of social change and political 
awakening. it played a crucial role in shaping 
public opinion, nurturing a spirit of resistance, and 
ultimately contributing to the journey towards 
india’s independence in 1947.                                     ?
anuJa avinash chaulKar the author is working with the National Museum of indian Cinema in Mumbai as a Museum researcher and educator. 
Celluloid Patriotism
I
49 August 2024
he indian independence Movement 
was not a singular, unidirectional, and 
homogenous social movement, as it is 
assumed very often by laypeople and 
scholars alike. the movement contained within it 
a large number of streams, some purely cultural 
practices, some expressions of the culture of the 
country like language and literature. each stream 
brought with it a number of sub-streams. 
o ver and above, the entire movement, with its 
complexities and layers of expressions of cultural 
structures, took the  then British rulers by surprise 
even though they were well aware that india is 
a land of hundreds of cultural traditions. When 
the expressions took centre stage, all with the 
single focus of evicting the oppressors from the 
land, the British r aj did not know which direction 
they had to look in and were left confused and 
clueless. 
the primary direction in which all the indian 
languages contributed in this regard was in 
increasing nationalistic fervour among the masses 
and bringing unity to the various communities of 
india. At the time of the independence movement, 
india was divided into a number of kingdoms and 
The role of literature in social movements is often understated and, at times, 
even discounted. When one goes through the annals of history, one can 
easily find many instances when literary creations, oral or written, played a 
significant role in social movements. Caught off guard and unnerved by the 
literary onslaught in all the languages and across the country, the British 
started banning books that had even the slightest nationalistic or patriotic 
fervour. Together, as the idea to gain freedom with urgency swept through large 
parts of India, people started to trace their cultural roots and take pride in 
their country and its rich and ancient cultural heritage once again.
communities. While people had identity towards 
the nation through cultural commonalities, they 
fundamentally had allegiance more towards their 
own communities first and then to the nation. 
Poems and songs played a significant role in 
this. one has to remember that in the period leading 
up to eventual independence in August 1947, the 
majority of the masses were pretty much illiterate. 
Due to their universal appeal and the fact that 
one need not be educated to understand, feel, and 
appreciate them, poetry easily reached the masses, 
sometimes as songs set to tune and the fire of 
nationalism spread faster than fire. 
All of them had one goal—to evict the 
oppressors from the land and free india from the 
clutches of the British. not only eminent poets, 
but songs by unknown writers and local ballads 
contributed to the awakening. 
the role of literature in social movements is 
often understated and, at times, even discounted. 
When one goes through the annals of history, 
one can easily find many instances when literary 
creations, oral or written, played a significant role in 
social movements.
T
K sreenivasarao the author is the Secretary of Sahitya Akademi. email: secretary@sahitya-akademi.gov.in
Contribution of Indian Languages 
to the Freedom Movement
50 August 2024
in the indian subcontinent, one can find that 
during medieval period, when social renaissance 
took place, the literary creations of shiva sharanas, 
Dasas, Marathi saint-poets, Aazhwars, sant Kabir, 
and others played a significant role in bringing 
diverse communities together, 
empowering them to counter 
hegemony of different kinds. Bhakti 
literature of the medieval period 
led to a cultural revolution that is 
not often well represented, and 
it was not limited to one region 
or community of the country but 
across the states and kingdoms. 
t his established that everyone has a 
fundamental right to godhead.
so, it is not a great surprise that 
literature played a pivotal role in the 
indian independence Movement 
in the modern period too. great 
minds, during the 19
th
 and 20
th
 
centuries, in all languages like Bal 
gangadhar tilak, gopal Krishna 
gokhale, vishnu vaman shirwadkar, 
Khandekar and other luminaries 
in Marathi; shivaram Karanth, 
Kuvempu, siddavanahalli Krishna 
sharma and others in Kannada; 
gurzada Apparao, Mangipudi 
venkataraya sharma, tummala 
sitaramamoorthy, rayaprolu 
subbarao, gurram Joshua, chilakamarthi 
Lakshminarasimham, Puttamarthi narayacharyulu, 
cherukuvada venkata r amaiah, Duvvuri r amireddy, 
Lakshmi narayana, Karunashree, garimella 
satyanarayana and others in telugu; subramania 
Bharati, Bharati Daasan, naamakkal Kavignar, v o 
chidambaram, P Jeevanandam, v v s i yer, r ajaji and 
others in tamil; Mahatma gandhi, gopabandhu 
Das, govardhan r am tripathi, narhari Dwarkadas 
Parikh, umashankar Joshi, sundarji Betai, 
sundaram, narasingh r ao, Mansukhlal Jhaveri, 
Badarayan and others in gujarati; vallathol Menon, 
vaikom Muhammad Basheer, sahodaran Ayyappan 
and others in Malayalam; r angalal Bandyopadhyay, 
Madhusudan Dutta, Dinabandhu Mitra, girish 
chandra ghosh, Bankimchandra chattopadhyay, 
r abindranath t agore, s aratchandra chattopadhyay, 
Kazi nazrul islam and others in Bengali; Maithili 
sharan gupt, r amdhari singh Dinkar, Hazari Prasad 
Dwivedi, Jaishankar Prasad, Badrinath Bhatt, 
Makhanlal chaturvedi, Bechan sharma ugra, and 
govind vallabh Pant along with Munshi Premchand 
in Hindi, to name just a few, all contributed in rich 
vein to the indian independence Movement.
Page 4


47 August 2024
ndia, the land of storytelling, has always 
had numerous art forms to narrate 
stories. c inema is a relatively newer yet 
one of the most popular art forms—for 
entertainment, education, employment, and as a 
means of enlightenment for many. 
indian cinema has been around for more 
than 100 years now and has played a significant 
role during the freedom struggle, serving as a 
powerful medium to evoke public sentiment, 
foster nationalistic feelings, and challenge 
colonial rule. 
in its initial stages, it portrayed themes 
of patriotism, valour and defiance against 
oppression. Films like Dadasaheb Phalke’s ‘raja 
Harishchandra’ (1913), Kanjibhai r athod’s ‘Bhakta 
vidhur’ (1921) and H M r eddy’s ‘Bhakta Prahlada’ 
(1931) depicted moral courage and righteousness, 
resonating with the indian nationalist Movement. 
it provided a platform for political discourse as 
actors and filmmakers actively participated in 
nationalist movements and used their influence 
to support causes like the Quit india Movement 
of 1942, amplifying the voices of freedom fighters. 
composers like Pandit ravi shankar and salil 
chowdhury infused nationalist fervour into their 
compositions, creating melodies that resonated 
deeply with the aspirations of a free india.
cinema played a significant role in the 
freedom movement in india, and Maharashtra in 
particular, since film industry initially flourished 
in Mumbai. Marathi cinema actively propagated 
nationalistic values and ideals through its films. 
Directors like vishnupant Damle, v shantaram, 
Bhalji Pendharkar, etc. used their films to depict 
the struggles and aspirations of the common 
people, aligning their narratives with the broader 
goals of the freedom movement. 
Films such as ‘s ant t ukaram’ (1936) and ‘Duniya 
na Mane’ (1937) celebrated Maharashtra’s cultural 
heritage while advocating for social justice and 
independence. Films portrayed historical figures 
like shivaji Maharaj, rani Lakshmibai, etc. as 
symbols of resistance, inspiring generations to 
fight for independence. Films like ‘Mahatma Phule’ 
(1954) and ‘ramshastri’ (1944) celebrated local 
heroes and cultural icons, reinforcing pride in 
Maharashtra’s history and traditions amidst the 
struggle for freedom.
thus, indian cinema during the freedom 
struggle was not just a form of entertainment but 
a potent instrument of social change and political 
awakening. it played a crucial role in shaping 
public opinion, nurturing a spirit of resistance, and 
ultimately contributing to the journey towards 
india’s independence in 1947.                                     ?
anuJa avinash chaulKar the author is working with the National Museum of indian Cinema in Mumbai as a Museum researcher and educator. 
Celluloid Patriotism
I
49 August 2024
he indian independence Movement 
was not a singular, unidirectional, and 
homogenous social movement, as it is 
assumed very often by laypeople and 
scholars alike. the movement contained within it 
a large number of streams, some purely cultural 
practices, some expressions of the culture of the 
country like language and literature. each stream 
brought with it a number of sub-streams. 
o ver and above, the entire movement, with its 
complexities and layers of expressions of cultural 
structures, took the  then British rulers by surprise 
even though they were well aware that india is 
a land of hundreds of cultural traditions. When 
the expressions took centre stage, all with the 
single focus of evicting the oppressors from the 
land, the British r aj did not know which direction 
they had to look in and were left confused and 
clueless. 
the primary direction in which all the indian 
languages contributed in this regard was in 
increasing nationalistic fervour among the masses 
and bringing unity to the various communities of 
india. At the time of the independence movement, 
india was divided into a number of kingdoms and 
The role of literature in social movements is often understated and, at times, 
even discounted. When one goes through the annals of history, one can 
easily find many instances when literary creations, oral or written, played a 
significant role in social movements. Caught off guard and unnerved by the 
literary onslaught in all the languages and across the country, the British 
started banning books that had even the slightest nationalistic or patriotic 
fervour. Together, as the idea to gain freedom with urgency swept through large 
parts of India, people started to trace their cultural roots and take pride in 
their country and its rich and ancient cultural heritage once again.
communities. While people had identity towards 
the nation through cultural commonalities, they 
fundamentally had allegiance more towards their 
own communities first and then to the nation. 
Poems and songs played a significant role in 
this. one has to remember that in the period leading 
up to eventual independence in August 1947, the 
majority of the masses were pretty much illiterate. 
Due to their universal appeal and the fact that 
one need not be educated to understand, feel, and 
appreciate them, poetry easily reached the masses, 
sometimes as songs set to tune and the fire of 
nationalism spread faster than fire. 
All of them had one goal—to evict the 
oppressors from the land and free india from the 
clutches of the British. not only eminent poets, 
but songs by unknown writers and local ballads 
contributed to the awakening. 
the role of literature in social movements is 
often understated and, at times, even discounted. 
When one goes through the annals of history, 
one can easily find many instances when literary 
creations, oral or written, played a significant role in 
social movements.
T
K sreenivasarao the author is the Secretary of Sahitya Akademi. email: secretary@sahitya-akademi.gov.in
Contribution of Indian Languages 
to the Freedom Movement
50 August 2024
in the indian subcontinent, one can find that 
during medieval period, when social renaissance 
took place, the literary creations of shiva sharanas, 
Dasas, Marathi saint-poets, Aazhwars, sant Kabir, 
and others played a significant role in bringing 
diverse communities together, 
empowering them to counter 
hegemony of different kinds. Bhakti 
literature of the medieval period 
led to a cultural revolution that is 
not often well represented, and 
it was not limited to one region 
or community of the country but 
across the states and kingdoms. 
t his established that everyone has a 
fundamental right to godhead.
so, it is not a great surprise that 
literature played a pivotal role in the 
indian independence Movement 
in the modern period too. great 
minds, during the 19
th
 and 20
th
 
centuries, in all languages like Bal 
gangadhar tilak, gopal Krishna 
gokhale, vishnu vaman shirwadkar, 
Khandekar and other luminaries 
in Marathi; shivaram Karanth, 
Kuvempu, siddavanahalli Krishna 
sharma and others in Kannada; 
gurzada Apparao, Mangipudi 
venkataraya sharma, tummala 
sitaramamoorthy, rayaprolu 
subbarao, gurram Joshua, chilakamarthi 
Lakshminarasimham, Puttamarthi narayacharyulu, 
cherukuvada venkata r amaiah, Duvvuri r amireddy, 
Lakshmi narayana, Karunashree, garimella 
satyanarayana and others in telugu; subramania 
Bharati, Bharati Daasan, naamakkal Kavignar, v o 
chidambaram, P Jeevanandam, v v s i yer, r ajaji and 
others in tamil; Mahatma gandhi, gopabandhu 
Das, govardhan r am tripathi, narhari Dwarkadas 
Parikh, umashankar Joshi, sundarji Betai, 
sundaram, narasingh r ao, Mansukhlal Jhaveri, 
Badarayan and others in gujarati; vallathol Menon, 
vaikom Muhammad Basheer, sahodaran Ayyappan 
and others in Malayalam; r angalal Bandyopadhyay, 
Madhusudan Dutta, Dinabandhu Mitra, girish 
chandra ghosh, Bankimchandra chattopadhyay, 
r abindranath t agore, s aratchandra chattopadhyay, 
Kazi nazrul islam and others in Bengali; Maithili 
sharan gupt, r amdhari singh Dinkar, Hazari Prasad 
Dwivedi, Jaishankar Prasad, Badrinath Bhatt, 
Makhanlal chaturvedi, Bechan sharma ugra, and 
govind vallabh Pant along with Munshi Premchand 
in Hindi, to name just a few, all contributed in rich 
vein to the indian independence Movement.
51 August 2024
there is yet another aspect to these literary 
contributions to indian freedom movement and 
in fact that proved to be very crucial at important 
moments in the 20
th
 century at least. 
caught off guard and unnerved by the literary 
onslaught in all the languages and across the 
country, the British started banning books that had 
even the slightest nationalistic or patriotic fervour. 
it is exactly at this moment that journals and 
magazines in mainstream languages helped the 
writers keep contributing to the movement and 
enabled the freedom fighters to carry their message 
to the masses. 
in fact, when the government of the day 
started cracking down on journals and magazines 
in all the languages, that led to another interesting 
development: the emergence of underground 
journals and books. 
the value of journals, dailies, magazines, and 
journalists in this regard is invaluable. they risked 
everything they had to help the writers contribute 
to the freedom movement.
Journals and dailies in many languages 
resorted to satire and using a twilight language 
so that the alien rulers would not understand the 
message easily whereas locals could easily grasp it 
and spread the information or story. t he journalism 
and print medium of the era played a huge role in 
the freedom movement gathering momentum.
Further, all these literary doyens had the 
blessings of spiritual giants of the country. the 
blessings of sri r amakrishna Paramahamsa, swami 
vivekananda, and sri Aurobindo, apart from great 
saints from all over the country, are something that 
is not talked about much. 
it is well established that most of the freedom 
fighters, including distinguished personalities 
involved in the movement, periodically took the 
blessings of the great saints of the region from 
where they came. it is indeed true that this aspect 
of spiritual force guiding the social movements 
has not been discussed in detail, especially with 
reference to the indian independence Movement.
When the British realised what was happening, 
they went after the journals and magazines all over 
the country. But there was a twist 
that they did not expect. not 
only did india have hundreds of 
cultures, but cultural expressions 
were also multifarious. 
one of them was through 
plays. india has always been 
a land of performance. Much 
before rules were framed and 
refined over the centuries, i ndia 
gave the world top-class treatise 
on performance with rules, 
the natya shastra. s o, it is no 
surprise that the masses took 
to every street corner to enact 
street plays. 
every culture, community, 
or society creates its own 
myths. Myths need not always 
be imaginative stories. they 
are one of the ways through 
which culture gets preserved 
and expressed, just like poems, 
plays, stories, paintings, dance, 
or architecture.
Page 5


47 August 2024
ndia, the land of storytelling, has always 
had numerous art forms to narrate 
stories. c inema is a relatively newer yet 
one of the most popular art forms—for 
entertainment, education, employment, and as a 
means of enlightenment for many. 
indian cinema has been around for more 
than 100 years now and has played a significant 
role during the freedom struggle, serving as a 
powerful medium to evoke public sentiment, 
foster nationalistic feelings, and challenge 
colonial rule. 
in its initial stages, it portrayed themes 
of patriotism, valour and defiance against 
oppression. Films like Dadasaheb Phalke’s ‘raja 
Harishchandra’ (1913), Kanjibhai r athod’s ‘Bhakta 
vidhur’ (1921) and H M r eddy’s ‘Bhakta Prahlada’ 
(1931) depicted moral courage and righteousness, 
resonating with the indian nationalist Movement. 
it provided a platform for political discourse as 
actors and filmmakers actively participated in 
nationalist movements and used their influence 
to support causes like the Quit india Movement 
of 1942, amplifying the voices of freedom fighters. 
composers like Pandit ravi shankar and salil 
chowdhury infused nationalist fervour into their 
compositions, creating melodies that resonated 
deeply with the aspirations of a free india.
cinema played a significant role in the 
freedom movement in india, and Maharashtra in 
particular, since film industry initially flourished 
in Mumbai. Marathi cinema actively propagated 
nationalistic values and ideals through its films. 
Directors like vishnupant Damle, v shantaram, 
Bhalji Pendharkar, etc. used their films to depict 
the struggles and aspirations of the common 
people, aligning their narratives with the broader 
goals of the freedom movement. 
Films such as ‘s ant t ukaram’ (1936) and ‘Duniya 
na Mane’ (1937) celebrated Maharashtra’s cultural 
heritage while advocating for social justice and 
independence. Films portrayed historical figures 
like shivaji Maharaj, rani Lakshmibai, etc. as 
symbols of resistance, inspiring generations to 
fight for independence. Films like ‘Mahatma Phule’ 
(1954) and ‘ramshastri’ (1944) celebrated local 
heroes and cultural icons, reinforcing pride in 
Maharashtra’s history and traditions amidst the 
struggle for freedom.
thus, indian cinema during the freedom 
struggle was not just a form of entertainment but 
a potent instrument of social change and political 
awakening. it played a crucial role in shaping 
public opinion, nurturing a spirit of resistance, and 
ultimately contributing to the journey towards 
india’s independence in 1947.                                     ?
anuJa avinash chaulKar the author is working with the National Museum of indian Cinema in Mumbai as a Museum researcher and educator. 
Celluloid Patriotism
I
49 August 2024
he indian independence Movement 
was not a singular, unidirectional, and 
homogenous social movement, as it is 
assumed very often by laypeople and 
scholars alike. the movement contained within it 
a large number of streams, some purely cultural 
practices, some expressions of the culture of the 
country like language and literature. each stream 
brought with it a number of sub-streams. 
o ver and above, the entire movement, with its 
complexities and layers of expressions of cultural 
structures, took the  then British rulers by surprise 
even though they were well aware that india is 
a land of hundreds of cultural traditions. When 
the expressions took centre stage, all with the 
single focus of evicting the oppressors from the 
land, the British r aj did not know which direction 
they had to look in and were left confused and 
clueless. 
the primary direction in which all the indian 
languages contributed in this regard was in 
increasing nationalistic fervour among the masses 
and bringing unity to the various communities of 
india. At the time of the independence movement, 
india was divided into a number of kingdoms and 
The role of literature in social movements is often understated and, at times, 
even discounted. When one goes through the annals of history, one can 
easily find many instances when literary creations, oral or written, played a 
significant role in social movements. Caught off guard and unnerved by the 
literary onslaught in all the languages and across the country, the British 
started banning books that had even the slightest nationalistic or patriotic 
fervour. Together, as the idea to gain freedom with urgency swept through large 
parts of India, people started to trace their cultural roots and take pride in 
their country and its rich and ancient cultural heritage once again.
communities. While people had identity towards 
the nation through cultural commonalities, they 
fundamentally had allegiance more towards their 
own communities first and then to the nation. 
Poems and songs played a significant role in 
this. one has to remember that in the period leading 
up to eventual independence in August 1947, the 
majority of the masses were pretty much illiterate. 
Due to their universal appeal and the fact that 
one need not be educated to understand, feel, and 
appreciate them, poetry easily reached the masses, 
sometimes as songs set to tune and the fire of 
nationalism spread faster than fire. 
All of them had one goal—to evict the 
oppressors from the land and free india from the 
clutches of the British. not only eminent poets, 
but songs by unknown writers and local ballads 
contributed to the awakening. 
the role of literature in social movements is 
often understated and, at times, even discounted. 
When one goes through the annals of history, 
one can easily find many instances when literary 
creations, oral or written, played a significant role in 
social movements.
T
K sreenivasarao the author is the Secretary of Sahitya Akademi. email: secretary@sahitya-akademi.gov.in
Contribution of Indian Languages 
to the Freedom Movement
50 August 2024
in the indian subcontinent, one can find that 
during medieval period, when social renaissance 
took place, the literary creations of shiva sharanas, 
Dasas, Marathi saint-poets, Aazhwars, sant Kabir, 
and others played a significant role in bringing 
diverse communities together, 
empowering them to counter 
hegemony of different kinds. Bhakti 
literature of the medieval period 
led to a cultural revolution that is 
not often well represented, and 
it was not limited to one region 
or community of the country but 
across the states and kingdoms. 
t his established that everyone has a 
fundamental right to godhead.
so, it is not a great surprise that 
literature played a pivotal role in the 
indian independence Movement 
in the modern period too. great 
minds, during the 19
th
 and 20
th
 
centuries, in all languages like Bal 
gangadhar tilak, gopal Krishna 
gokhale, vishnu vaman shirwadkar, 
Khandekar and other luminaries 
in Marathi; shivaram Karanth, 
Kuvempu, siddavanahalli Krishna 
sharma and others in Kannada; 
gurzada Apparao, Mangipudi 
venkataraya sharma, tummala 
sitaramamoorthy, rayaprolu 
subbarao, gurram Joshua, chilakamarthi 
Lakshminarasimham, Puttamarthi narayacharyulu, 
cherukuvada venkata r amaiah, Duvvuri r amireddy, 
Lakshmi narayana, Karunashree, garimella 
satyanarayana and others in telugu; subramania 
Bharati, Bharati Daasan, naamakkal Kavignar, v o 
chidambaram, P Jeevanandam, v v s i yer, r ajaji and 
others in tamil; Mahatma gandhi, gopabandhu 
Das, govardhan r am tripathi, narhari Dwarkadas 
Parikh, umashankar Joshi, sundarji Betai, 
sundaram, narasingh r ao, Mansukhlal Jhaveri, 
Badarayan and others in gujarati; vallathol Menon, 
vaikom Muhammad Basheer, sahodaran Ayyappan 
and others in Malayalam; r angalal Bandyopadhyay, 
Madhusudan Dutta, Dinabandhu Mitra, girish 
chandra ghosh, Bankimchandra chattopadhyay, 
r abindranath t agore, s aratchandra chattopadhyay, 
Kazi nazrul islam and others in Bengali; Maithili 
sharan gupt, r amdhari singh Dinkar, Hazari Prasad 
Dwivedi, Jaishankar Prasad, Badrinath Bhatt, 
Makhanlal chaturvedi, Bechan sharma ugra, and 
govind vallabh Pant along with Munshi Premchand 
in Hindi, to name just a few, all contributed in rich 
vein to the indian independence Movement.
51 August 2024
there is yet another aspect to these literary 
contributions to indian freedom movement and 
in fact that proved to be very crucial at important 
moments in the 20
th
 century at least. 
caught off guard and unnerved by the literary 
onslaught in all the languages and across the 
country, the British started banning books that had 
even the slightest nationalistic or patriotic fervour. 
it is exactly at this moment that journals and 
magazines in mainstream languages helped the 
writers keep contributing to the movement and 
enabled the freedom fighters to carry their message 
to the masses. 
in fact, when the government of the day 
started cracking down on journals and magazines 
in all the languages, that led to another interesting 
development: the emergence of underground 
journals and books. 
the value of journals, dailies, magazines, and 
journalists in this regard is invaluable. they risked 
everything they had to help the writers contribute 
to the freedom movement.
Journals and dailies in many languages 
resorted to satire and using a twilight language 
so that the alien rulers would not understand the 
message easily whereas locals could easily grasp it 
and spread the information or story. t he journalism 
and print medium of the era played a huge role in 
the freedom movement gathering momentum.
Further, all these literary doyens had the 
blessings of spiritual giants of the country. the 
blessings of sri r amakrishna Paramahamsa, swami 
vivekananda, and sri Aurobindo, apart from great 
saints from all over the country, are something that 
is not talked about much. 
it is well established that most of the freedom 
fighters, including distinguished personalities 
involved in the movement, periodically took the 
blessings of the great saints of the region from 
where they came. it is indeed true that this aspect 
of spiritual force guiding the social movements 
has not been discussed in detail, especially with 
reference to the indian independence Movement.
When the British realised what was happening, 
they went after the journals and magazines all over 
the country. But there was a twist 
that they did not expect. not 
only did india have hundreds of 
cultures, but cultural expressions 
were also multifarious. 
one of them was through 
plays. india has always been 
a land of performance. Much 
before rules were framed and 
refined over the centuries, i ndia 
gave the world top-class treatise 
on performance with rules, 
the natya shastra. s o, it is no 
surprise that the masses took 
to every street corner to enact 
street plays. 
every culture, community, 
or society creates its own 
myths. Myths need not always 
be imaginative stories. they 
are one of the ways through 
which culture gets preserved 
and expressed, just like poems, 
plays, stories, paintings, dance, 
or architecture.
52 August 2024
indian mythology, especially the two national 
epics, the ramayana and the Mahabharata, has 
percolated deep into society and been part and 
parcel of indian culture. they are also the most 
long-lasting cultural expressions in the world. 
When people staged street plays spreading 
nationalistic and patriotic messages, masses in all 
the languages deployed a highly ingenious and 
innovative tactic—they used mythology heavily to 
distract the British r aj. But in the plays, British were 
characterised as r avana, Kamsa, or Hiranyakashipu, 
etc., while Mahatma gandhi, Balgangadhar tilak, 
and other leaders were portrayed as mythological 
and divine characters that stood by and propagated 
Dharma. 
in the space of just six or seven decades, these 
messages percolated into countryside sayings, 
emerged as proverbs, and even Mahatma gandhi 
became part of folklore in remote rural spaces. 
Later, when cinema became a popular medium, 
these became part of the visual medium, bringing 
life to the vast oral tradition in respect of indian 
independence Movement. 
together, as the idea to gain freedom with 
urgency swept through large parts of india, people 
started to trace their cultural roots and take pride 
in their country and its rich and ancient cultural 
heritage once again. 
Mahatma gandhi, apart from his public 
speeches, inspired and energised countless youth 
in india through his writings, especially in navjivan 
and t he Young india. He singlehandedly shaped the 
idea of young india and initiated public discussions 
around the country on several aspects pertaining 
to india, including swarajya. in fact, along with 
the writings of Karl Marx, the writings of Mahatma 
gandhi stand as a testimony to the influence of 
literature in social movements. till date, gandhi’s 
writings continue to inspire people, not only in 
india but in many countries across the world. it is 
no surprise then that gandhi’s writings heavily 
influenced and inspired all the communities of the 
country.
For the indian freedom movement, tales, 
poems, songs, and plays in every language of the 
country, many of which are still oral and unwritten, 
contributed rich and vibrant content that not 
only inspired millions to join the cause of the 
independence of the country but also enabled 
them to retrace their cultural roots and empowered 
them to counter hegemony. t hat, in turn, led to the 
social revolution, which resulted in enhanced social 
justice for all classes. 
the language and literature of every cultural 
tradition of the country, numbering in the hundreds, 
activated the innermost yearning of human beings 
to be free all the time. t his phenomenon, in such a 
large measure, remains unparalleled in the history 
of the world.                                                                        ?
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